Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-12-17
a MORMON cERl..
q Revelation Of the iniquIiieo ui
Poiygsny--The urhspplness OF
fAornon Wiyes.


Poiygsny--The urnsppIness OF
Mormon Wlyes.
A correspondent at Salt Lake City |
tells story Of the experience OF a
Mormon girl as related by herself.
She said:
have often been asked TO marry
Mormons who had wives. ] viii tell
you about one OF them. a wealthy
man, now dead. His name was
Franklin Neff. One day his wife-the
only wife he had-came TO our house
and had talk with me. She said she
wanted me to marry Mr.. Nef. was
only fifteen, but | knew what polye-
amy was, and had set my heart
against it. "Well, Mrs. Neff," ! said,
"if he wants me he'll have to sum-
mon up cheek enough to ask me him
self"
said this in fun, and then asked
Mrs. Neff what she thought about it.
: She said herself and husband had
talked the whole matter over
and she had come to the con-
clusion that as her husband was
Obliged to take a second wife she
knew nobody she'd sooner have him
take than myself, therefore she begged
me when he called to give him afavoI-
J able answer. This proposition. COM
ing from q woman thirth-five years
old, who had been married for years
? to a husband of about the same age,
? and who had assisted him in accumu-
lating his wealth, was at once strange
and amusing Mr.. Neff called that same
!! Eight. and, in answer to his question,
! told him that he must be crazy to
: make such an offer OF marriage to a
Y mere child, but he insisted that he
was in earnest, and he vent to my
q mother, who on account of his high
2 position i'm the church, was afraid to
y fiatly refuse him. Mother said she
would not 90 against my wishes, but
n if he could persuade meinto polygamy
g she would offer no objection; at the
same time she warned me not TO gave
I, my consent for any consideration.
g Mrs. Neff came round to see me sew
Us eral times, and was always urging me
re to marry her husband, saying that be
could not live without me, and both
of them would be all the happier fol
er it. But the more she talked the firm
er became in my resistance. They
70 invited me to spend a few days al
III their country home. | wanted to re
IN fuse. but mother said had better go
TO | went, and | don't think spent {
more miserable time anywhere in al
III my life The husband was continual
ne ly asking me to 60 buggy-riding witt
him and the wife was coaxing me to con
sent. Still. | thought ] saw that tn
V. woman was unhappy. She seemed t.
be doing what she did against be
~ will. A bah was gwen in the neiehbot
Die hood and / wanted to 60. Mrs. Ne
W. asked me to 90 with Frank THAT wa
ne her husbands name), but ! said no,
he would 20 alone. unless she agreed t
IT 90 along. She agreed, and went. Tina
re man tried his vary hardest that nigh
d. TO dance with me, and his wife eve
lily asked me to dance with him but
| kept plenty of engagements ahea
"a with the young fellows and he got n
to dance.
he Some one then told him that Iwoul
in not dance with him while Mrs. Netf wa
Try present, so he told her and she wer
ap- home. After she went he came TO n
ess and said she had gone and he hope
on now lie would have the pleasure OF
we dance, but | continued to make e.
OF cuses and avoided him. The tin
ley came for to 20 home. and refused
pes allow him TO accompany me unlei
yer there was a third party along. ii
csc brother Amos accompanied us, an
an after leaving me at the door the ~
rat men went to Amos Neif's house.
20 found Mrs. Nelf in her room in tears
ON a more heartbroken woman ] new
md saw. She had been sitting there IRE
ent tine and crying and moanlngtor hour
are thinking that | was dancing with b
ian husband and that was coming hon
ow alone with him. And only the nig
out before she had sat up with me un
Ity- l2 o'clock trying to talN me into ms
rying him, making ali sorts OF pro-
ises. and saying that herself and n
Neff would write deeds for one-hait
50. all the property and possessions tn
had if | would only give my conser
int She begged me not to say anythl
,.a5 to her husband about the cryl
scene. as he would scold her for
alIy but said thought it my duty
eWs tell him. and also TO let him know
ohe opinion | had of him. / told Nj
hes, Neff not to grieve, as ] would me-
lsea cause her the slightest sorrow, a
~ sent her to bed much happier Wo
'rtn an than had found her on my co
& OF ing in. Next morning at the bre'
no fast table MIR. Neff said someth
2 es- about polyuamy That was all
Una provocation | wanted. | said: =
IN Nef, il you were any kind OF man
ing all, or had even the commonest
eMs, man instincts, you'd let poiyga
auy alone. You have wife who is
orih good for you, and who loves You !
ASH ter than you deserve-Stick to
hlhs and let other women alone" The
por- told him the condition in which
ares had found his wife on coming no
from the bali His face grew VIII
rvis- and, laying down his knife and 10
su,y he arose from the table and left
tue room. went home that morn
An, and neither saw Mr.. Neif nor he
relel from him again. He never went j
on polygamy, and felt very glad Of
COS COS for the sake of the heart-broken Il
N New woman, to whom second wife by
oee' husbands side would have meant
Vhail sneedy death.